Advice to Veterinary Pharmacies

Vetmart.net is organised to help you sell medicines via the internet and to assist the general public in buying them from you.

The veterinary pharmacy section on Vetmart.net is reserved for veterinary medicine outlets with specific training in veterinary medicines e.g.veterinary surgeons who wish to operate a veterinary pharmacy and others with specific veterinary training.

POM(V)s

Some RQPs (responsible or registered qualified persons) are able to prescribe or supply POM(V)s to consumers...typically this activity is restricted to vets and registered pharmacists. However, under European law, the advertising of POM(V)s to consumers by anybody is illegal, including advertising of POM(V)s to consumers by RQPs.

Whilst it is not legal to advertise POM(V)s to the consumer, it is legal to advertise your pharmacy services to the general public even if you cannot advertise POM(V)s themselves.

Furthermore, it is legal in the UK to make a price list of POM(V)s available to potential customers in order that they may search for named items and we do not prevent the uploading of price lists of POM(V)s on vetmart.net: However you choose to upload a price list is up to you, but if you wish to use Vetmart.net to make POM(V)s available to the general public you are advised to take out a subscription for a Shopfront to assist you in doing so as a Shopfront has a facility called a bulk-uploader which assists you in uploading lists of inventory. The inclusion of pack shots together with a description of the product consistent with the SPC seems to be generally accepted by VMD and until we are advised by VMD that such things are unacceptable in online listings for POM(V)s we will be accepting them on vetmart.net.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate's Investigations and Inspections Team (IIT) issues advice to members of its Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS), a voluntary code of practice followed by a small number of veterinary medicine retailers in the UK: Whilst registration with the AIRS is not obligatory to use Vetmart.net the link below takes you to a copy of advice from the VMD given to members of the AIRS in 2012.

You will have to register with vetpol.co.uk to read this advice if you are not already a member, but if you are a legitimate veterinary retailer you are eligible for free membership.

There is a link here to the formal advice issued by the VMD on controls on advertising medicines which tells you how VMD intend to interpret the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. However, the latest version was issued in 2011 and we have been advised by VMD that this advice is about to be updated to reflect changes in the online retailing of medicines in an attempt to assist consumers searching for POM(V)s online by name.